Ron Hagen celebrates 50th anniversary as PGA Pro.
Howie Tiger
On Jan. 1, 2021, Ron Hagen will celebrate his 50th anniversary as a member of the Professional Golfers Association of America. Even though baseball was his first infatuation, the game of golf became his lifetime love.
At age 12, Ron used to hunt golf balls near Jackson Park Golf Course in Seattle. He used to sell those balls to Head Pro Bob Tindall. One day Ron approached Tindall and said, “I’d like to play this game.” Tindall gave Ron lessons and even provided him a ladies’ set of Louise Suggs clubs that he used for several years.
Ron worked hard at the game, and at age 15 made the 36-hole finals of the PNGA Jr. Amateur held at Yakima Country Club. He competed against 17-year-old Ron Coleman aka RC. RC would later become a well-known PebbleCreek resident. After 19 holes, Ron held a 3-up lead over RC. Then, many locals (over 100) came out to watch the match. Ron never competed in front of so many spectators. Nerves setting in, Ron 3-putted a bunch. He ended up losing 7 and 6 but made a lifelong friend and future business partner in RC.
After a short time at Seattle University and working construction with his brother, he approached Bob Tindall about getting into the golf business. Bob said, “The only reason to get into golf was for the love of the game.” Ron sought his first golf job at Yakima Country Club. The pro there, Les Moe, remembered Ron from that junior amateur final and gave him a job. That was 1967, the start of his lifelong career.
Ron soon took a job as assistant pro at Sand Point, a Seattle private country club founded in 1927. He learned to teach golf from then Head Pro John Hoetmer. He earned his PGA credentials and became a member of the PGA of America on Jan. 1, 1971. He made head pro in 1974 after being an assistant for six years. That year, Sand Point hosted the Western Junior Golf Championship. Ron was the referee for the finals match won by Nancy Lopez.
During Ron’s 20-year tenure at Sand Point, he simultaneously coached golf at the University of Washington for seven seasons, replacing Bob Tindall there. He was also PGA Tour pro Rick Fehr’s teacher, starting at age 10.
In 1986, Ron became part owner, GM, and Head Pro of Dungeness Golf Course in Sequim, Wash., a course built by RC’s father. They held over 120 tournaments each year. Ron gave this public course a private country club feel. Ron was named Professional of the Year for four years by the Pacific Northwest PGA Section while there.
In 1994, Ron left Dungeness to start a golf management business, Golf Resources Inc., with RC. They managed several courses until 2004, when Ron retired.
Three years later, Ron came out of retirement to be the Director of Golf at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash. Owned by the Washington Golf Association and the PNGA, it was created to grow the game of golf.
In 2012, Ron and his wife Lola followed RC to PebbleCreek and purchased a home. He retired for the second time in 2014.
Congratulations to Ron and Lola on this amazing anniversary!